Thousands of seals are lolling on Horsey beach for the annual molt, spending as little time in the cold North Sea as possible.

People are getting too close to the seals on Horsey beach (Picture: Jo Clarke/iWitness)

But many people are getting far too close - one man even seen to lightly punch a seal which lolloped away towards the waves.

Hobby photographer Jo Clarke, from Horsford, was shocked to see dozens of people milling around the colony at Horsey poking lenses in faces and treating the scene more like a zoo than a wonder of wild nature.